An Indian student’s successful environmental campaign in Sharjah has helped him bag the NRI of the Year Award 2017 in Mumbai, India. Eighteen-yearold Abhinav Singla, who graduated in 2016 from our Own English High School, Sharjah, received the prestigious award in the Academics Category in the award’s fourth edition on July 11. Presented by Times Now, ICICI Bank and GIIS (Global Indian International School), the award recognises the deserving spirit of those globetrotting Indians who have made a change by their work and action reaching the pinnacles of success globally by rising every day.

Singla launched ‘Clean Up Sharjah Campaign’ in 2014 to make Sharjah a more cleaner and greener city, he told Gulf News from India. His initiative started as a small idea, which was later expanded into three editions and is still being continued by hundreds of students living in Sharjah. The monthlong campaign mainly included four events — recycling, cleanup, plant seeding and awareness spreading.